Bhubaneswar: ‘Gotie Kahani’, written by Bimal Kumar Mishra and brought to life on stage by director Dipti Ranjan Dash (Papa), unfolds as a deeply emotional tale of love, sacrifice and the cruel curveballs life sometimes throws.
Staged by Pratibha Natya Parishad, a city-based theatre group, in association with the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, Government of Odisha, at Bhanjakala Mandap, Bhubaneswar, on November 12, the production left the theatre lovers riding an emotional roller coaster.
Set in a small town, the play revolves around Gyana and Chhaya, a loving couple, whose life seems to move from one storm to another. When the curtain rises, we see Chhaya anxiously waiting for Gyana, who works as an acting teacher at a private school, in their modest drawing room as rain pours outside-an omen, perhaps, of the tempest about to strike their lives.
They have been married for five years but their heartfelt desire for a child has remained unfulfilled despite countless attempts. Chhaya, steadfast in her faith, believes her prayers will bear fruit one day.But the fate has other plans.
That rainy night while returning home, Gyana meets with an accident and gets his spinal cord injured, leading to his impotency. The news hits Chhaya like a bolt from the blue, shattering her world. Unable to bear the sight of her pain and the weight of his helplessness, Gyana makes a heart wrenching decision: he pleads with his friend Jayant to marry Chhaya, a request Jayant refuses.
Eventually, with no option left, Gyana asks Chhaya to sign divorce papers and start her life on a clean slate.
The turning point of the play lies in whether Chhaya accepts Gyana’s sacrifice, or she stands her ground and rewrite fate on her own terms.
With a minimal stage decoration, the play was staged with just three characters-Sunil Kumar as Gyana, Kumari Archita Dash as Chhaya and Siba Prasad Satpathy as Jayant, proving that sometimes less is more. Each performer delivers a knockout portrayal, breathing life into characters trapped between duty, love, and destiny.
Dipti Ranjan Dash’s restrained direction, Rajesh Satpathy’s evocative lighting, and Pratap Rout’s soulful music knit together seamlessly, making the production hit home.
‘Gotie Kahani’ ultimately reminds the audience that love is not always about holding on—sometimes it’s about letting go, even when the heart resists.
